The Word Shaker
by Just Another Word Shaker
Summary: Death has a confession to make regarding a certain lemon-haired boy...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! So, I think we're all in agreement that Rudy Steiner should NOT have died. Therefore, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Mwahaha. xD ****(This story is definitely going to be more than one chapter, but I honestly don't know how long it'll turn out. Stories are funny like that.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zilch. Nada. (Except for Max's lovely fiancé.)**

* * *

Perhaps you remember the story of Liesel Meminger.

Actually, you certainly remember; why else would you be reading this story, then? Since you do remember the book thief, you may also remember that I, Death, told you that I am not perfect. And on that subject, I have a confession to make:

** ***A Confession*****

**I didn't tell you the whole story.**

Yes, I told you of soccer games and accordions, of fist-fighting and stealing, of _saukerls_ and _saumensches_, of Hitler Youth and basements, of words- always words- and the bombing of Heaven. But that was not the end of the story. I apologize most feelingly for my incompetence, for neglecting to tell you something about Rudy Steiner.

*****A Recap of Rudy Steiner*****

**1.) He was a boy with hair the color of lemons and eyes of the brightest blue.**

**2.) He was Jesse Owens.**

**3.) He was a gifted athlete and (as idiotic as he could be sometimes) an uncannily clever student.**

**4.) He was partner-in-crime and best friend to the book thief herself.**

**5.) He was also head-over-heels in love with that same best friend.**

**6.) He had transformed from a fruit stealer to a bread-and-teddy-bear giver.**

**7.) He was also dead.**

I can see you glaring at me with hatred, thinking, _It's all your fault! You took him!_ Perhaps it's true, perhaps it isn't, but that doesn't matter, because…

*****The Fact That I Forgot To Mention*****

**8.) He was- is- the boy who lived. The death-cheater, if you will.**

Now you, dear reader, probably look confused. _But, you argue silently, I saw it myself! The bomb- Liesel kissed him finally- she was the only survivor! Right?_ Technically, yes, you are right. Rudy Steiner was, in fact, mostly dead. However, there is a huge difference between being mostly dead and being all dead. _What?!_ You're extremely confused by this point.

Perhaps I had better start from the beginning. Only two- Rudy and myself- ever truly understood exactly what happened; poor Liesel spent her whole life trying to reason it out, and Rudy was really no help at all- he could only laugh, for he knew precisely how he cheated death, but he couldn't for the life of him (excuse the pun) put it into words.

Words.

An interesting fact: With Liesel Meminger, the story always begins with words. They live within her soul.

However, in the winter of 1946, the book thief, the word shaker… had lost the words.

* * *

She stepped into the bookstore with hungry brown eyes, waving a quick goodbye to the Jewish couple that had accompanied her before scurrying off in the direction of the novels. The two merely chuckled in understanding and went off in search of their own books; the young man muttering something about Liesel's inability to focus where books were concerned, his fiancé laughing gently in agreement.

As Liesel busied herself with a collection of novels by a well-known author, she was blissfully unaware of a conversation on the other side of the bookstore (a good thing, as she would find out later- for if she had noticed she would have stopped the conversation, and her life wouldn't have changed yet again- but I'm getting ahead of myself) between two middle-aged women lounging comfortably in chairs.

"See that girl over there?"

"Which one?"

"The one with the brown eyes and gold hair. She looks so familiar."

"Don't you know who that is? She's the girl that was the only survivor of the Himmel bombings in Molching. People talked about it for weeks- she just happened to be in her basement and survived." The woman didn't know it, but she was sitting very close to a young man who was looking at the history books- a silent shadow of a young man who had inadvertently heard their discussion and was now staring at the girl in question with wide blue eyes.

"Oh, the poor thing!" The other lady clucked her tongue. "I have heard of her. Liesel, isn't that her name?" The young man stood rooted to the ground in shock by this point. "What is she doing all the way here? We're rather removed from Molching."

"She loves books with a passion. They're probably the only thing she has to live for now. I've heard she finds books and gives them to those in need, isn't that generous?"

"A lot of good books will do the needy," the woman sniffed.

But her friend, who was actually a rather wise woman at times, disagreed. "No, sometimes books are what they need most. An escape."

She snorted. "Anyway, why's she talking to that Jewish couple?"

"I believe the man's like a brother to her- her family hid him in their basement during the war or something. Very noble, considering… all that's happened."

The lady _tsked_. "Poor, poor girl."

The young man knew he wouldn't be getting any more useful knowledge from the gossips, but that didn't matter because he knew all that he needed to.

*****What the young man knew*****

**Liesel Meminger was alive.**

**She was just across the room.**

**He wasn't alone.**

**So what was he doing still standing there?**

Meanwhile, Liesel had gone over to Max and whispered furtively, "I need to leave."

"Why? We haven't been in here long." The raven-haired man frowned in concern.

"There's a man over there- no, don't look- he has lemon colored hair. And I need to leave. It's too much."

Max understood, more than anyone. He whispered an explanation to his fiancé Enna; the trio began to put their books back on the shelves. Liesel was too frantic to linger, and she made quick work of heading to the door.

But not quick enough.

For one horrible moment the word was frozen in the young man's throat; then there was a hoarse, urgent cry of "_Liesel!_" as he skyrocketed to the front of the bookstore and grabbed the leaving book thief's arm. She yanked herself free from his grasp and whirled around to yell at the intruder, but all coherent words died on her tongue as she gazed up into a pair of all-too-familiar blue eyes.

For a split second her hopes soared and were reflected in her own shining eyes, but reality brought them crashing back down. "You- I- no, it isn't possible." She took a step back and hugged herself tightly, the light in her eyes fading. Her defenses were back up. "I'm sorry, it's just that you look like someone I knew and-"

The young man was smirking. "That's because you did know me, _Saumensch_." In all the times he'd allowed himself to dream of a reunion, he'd never imagined his first words to her as so brusque. So commonplace. But life was funny like that

Her eyes went wide and her guard slipped a bit. "Rudy?"

He let out a laugh of pure unbridled relief. "Liesel, I can't believe you're _alive_!" He threw his arms around her, not caring a whit about any audience they might have, and enveloped her in a hug.

She then did something that she hadn't allowed herself to do in nearly three years: she cried. She wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed, finally releasing all the pent-up emotions she'd kept hidden for so long. The heartbreak, the fear, the survivor's guilt, the feeling of being so utterly overwhelmed and broken she wanted to scream- all of it. But new emotions mingled with the old, ones that she hadn't felt in what seemed like a lifetime- joy, hope, security, warmth. Love.

Then it suddenly hit her like a bomb (again, forgive the pun, I can't help myself), and she was shoving him away with a furious glare. "Three years! You _arschloch_, Rudy!"

"I thought you were dead!" he exclaimed. "The doctors told me-"

"I thought you were dead too!" she retorted. "I knew you were; I was there! Why the heck didn't you wake up when I kissed you?"

Now it was his turn to be stunned. "You kissed me?" His dream had become reality and he hadn't even been awake to experience it. Another of life's ironies.

"Yes, you _dummkopf_! I kissed you twice and shook you and told you I loved you and _why didn't you wake up_?" Her dark eyes flashed.

"I woke up in a truck full of dead bodies; how's that for scarring a kid's life? I was in the hospital here for months and the doctors told me I was the only survivor!"

** ***A quick word about Rudy*****

**He actually was dead when they placed him in that truck, but after a heated argument with my sister Life, I was forced to hand over Rudy's soul (but I wasn't that upset). In Life's words, "Not yet, brother. He's got unfinished business here. You won't be seeing him again for quite awhile."**

"Well, you weren't!" Liesel was still angry, but a discreet cough from Max alerted her to the face that they were not alone; they had an interested audience of about twenty book lovers. The heat rushed to Liesel's cheeks as she turned on one heel and dashed out the door.

Rudy easily fell into step with her. "Where are you going?"

"Running away," she answered without thinking as she walked onto the street.

"Well, I'm coming with you," was his cheerful response, reminiscent of Himmel days.

She stopped and turned to him with a little frown. "We're not done with this conversation, you know."

"Of course not, we've got a lot to talk about. Three years to catch up on. But we have the rest of our lives for that, don't we? I'm afraid you're stuck with me now." He grinned unrepentantly.

"How can you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Act like this isn't a big deal!" She threw her hands up in frustration.

"Liesel." The firmness in his tone gave her pause. "It is a big deal, but right now I'm actually happy. I haven't been happy in three years. So will you let me just enjoy being with you for a little while? Please?"

She sighed, anger melting away, and nodded. "I'm sorry, Rudy… it's a lot to take in."

"I know." He reached over and took her hand in his. He was pleased when she didn't make any attempts to remove it, as she would have before the bombing. "So… are you going to introduce me to Max or not, _Saumensch_?"

Liesel suddenly remembered that they weren't the only two human beings in the world. "Oh." She turned to see a smiling Max and Enna walking towards them. "Max, Enna, this is-"

" 'The boy with hair the color of lemons'." Max stepped forward and shook Rudy's hand with a wide smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise," the young man smiled back.

Enna's bright eyes observed them with happiness. "So this is him, Liesel?" At the young woman's nod she broke into a grin and clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, I'm so happy for you two!"

*****A note about Enna Spiegelman*****

**She is probably one of the bravest, brightest, most selfless human beings I've ever encountered. No wonder Max loved her so- they were quite similar, those two. Both Jewish survivors that had little but each other, yet made the most of every day. When she said she was happy for them, she truly was- there wasn't a bit of jealousy in her.**

"I think we're all forgetting something very important here," Max gave Liesel a look. "Herr Steiner?"

Liesel gasped and grabbed Rudy's arm. "Rudy- your father- he's alive! We have to take you home!"

"He's alive?" It was almost too much for him, this sudden reunion with not just one person he loved, but two. After three years of being completely alone and having to grow accustomed to it, this whole experience was surreal, and part of him wondered if it was just another cruel dream and he would soon wake up in- But no, the feeling of the book thief's hand on his shoulder, the excited smile on her face- it was real. Perhaps more real than the last three years of his life had been.

"Yes, _Saukerl_." The insult of endearment brought a sense of normality that grounded him. "He came home when the war ended... You have no idea how much he misses you and regrets not sending you to that school."

"I can't believe this… Papa's alive." He was trying to convince himself.

Liesel's eyes suddenly took on a shine that he recognized all too well.

"What are you planning to steal this time, _Saumensch_?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.

She turned around and threw a few words over her shoulder as she stepped briskly back into the bookstore. "I'm not stealing. I'm _purchasing_."

* * *

Moments later the four were in Max's car headed back to Molching. Liesel and Rudy took the backseat, holding hands again, and sat in silence listening to Max and Enna argue (for even the best of couples have disagreements) over whether a character in a certain book was inherently good or not.

Rudy could only take book talk for so long before tuning them out and glancing sideways at his friend. He studied her with interest; these past three years had transformed them both from children to adults, in more ways than one. For Liesel Meminger wasn't the girl of fourteen he'd left behind, but a taller, quieter, stronger-yet-more-fragile young woman. She wore a simple grey dress and mulberry-colored coat, with black boots and no accessories of any kind. Her golden-brown hair was pulled back from her face, but the rest of it tumbled down her back like a waterfall. Her dangerously dark chocolate eyes were the same, but there was now a depth in them born of pain and loss. However, it was tempered by the hopeful sparkle he knew came from their reunion. Those lips of hers- the ones he'd wanted so desperately to kiss when they were kids- were full and pink and quirked up slightly, as if she was treasuring some delightful secret that only she knew. Somehow she was even lovelier than she'd been then- she was downright beautiful- and Rudy began to feel the stirrings of what would soon be not just the childish love he'd felt back then, but real, true love. He wondered briefly if he dared broach the question- _How about a kiss?-_ but decided against it, for now anyway.

He wasn't the only one sneaking glances; she'd been studying him too. She noted that his messy lemon hair was exactly the same, and that was surprisingly comforting. His blue eyes- though dulled a bit by life and grief- still held that spark of strength and energy they'd always carried. He was fit and strong and taller now, but no less thin than he'd been back then- Liesel suspected him of not eating properly, but who was she to reprimand him for something when she wasn't heeding her own advice? She continued to observe him, taking note of the most miniscule details- his nose, his freckles, the set of his jaw, the way her hand fit perfectly in his. The boy next door had matured into a young man that was- to her silent surprise- altogether attractive. Her cheeks reddened at this realization and she turned away abruptly. _Tell me I haven't come this far just to act like a lovesick schoolgirl..._

"Where are you living?" Rudy's quiet voice- unheard by the couple in the front seat- broke through her whirlwind of thoughts. "With Papa?"

She shook her head and answered just as quietly. "_Nein_, the Hermanns took me in after the bombing. Your father and Max share a little apartment down the street, and Enna is living with me until she and Max get married and move into their own place."

"When are they getting married?"

"A few weeks. They're not having a fancy ceremony that takes a long time to plan, and they figure, what's the point of waiting when they know what they want? Life is short." _Too short_, she added silently.

"Good point." He squeezed her hand and they both knew that the other wasn't thinking about Max and Enna anymore.

"What about you?" Liesel asked to dispel the sudden awkwardness she felt.

He grinned impishly. "Well, of course I want to marry you, but you're not even eighteen yet and-"

"_Saukerl_, you know that's not what I was asking!" But she was grinning and turning away again to hide her blush.

"Fine, to answer your question: I've been wandering. Working some here and there, moving from place to place, alive but not really living, trying to avoid Molching and the memories…"

"If you were trying to avoid memories, what were you doing in a bookstore?" she asked pointedly.

He let out a sad laugh. "Wanted to see what you found so interesting about books. They helped you through stuff, and I thought maybe they could help me too… Surprisingly, they did, a little. There's actually some decent books out there- I sort of get where you come from now, _Saumensch_."

"I'm glad," came her soft reply.

"And you- what were you doing over here? Molching has plenty of books. Heck, you've got a library in your _house_ now."

"But I needed to find a bunch of books- you interrupted my mission by the way, _Saukerl_- to give to the soldiers that have come back and the other families affected by the bombings." She began to talk faster, passionately. "I mean, I may think I've lost so much, but they have literally nothing and no one to turn to. I have more material things now than I've ever had in my life; I have the ability to help them, to give them a bit of a reprieve from their lives. It would be cruel of me not to help someone if I could."

He stared at her in amazement and said (quite profoundly), "You amaze me."

She shrugged her slim shoulders. "It isn't that big of a deal. Someone's got to do it."

He wanted to say so many things, but settled for, "It is to me." And that was the end of that discussion, for he instantly changed the subject. "How's Papa? Be honest."

She let go of his hand and fingered the newly-bought book in her lap.

"Liesel."

"He'll be glad to see you," was all she would say. Rudy knew she was holding something back, but knew better than to press her.

The rest of the ride to Molching was filled with a sense of high anticipation that none of the car's occupants had felt in a long time. There was hope too- hope that this was only the beginning of a bright future.

* * *

"You've brought me back a book, Liesel?" called Alex Steiner by way of greeting when he heard her step into his store. He was busy arranging shirts and didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Of course." She sounded more cheerful than usual. "I think you'll like this one."

He turned to see her offer him a smile, place a small book on the display counter, and slide it across to his side. He stepped over to get a better look at it, then instantly tensed.

*****The title of this particular book*****

**_Jesse Owens: A Biography_**

The broken man struggled to stay calm as remorseful anger washed over him. "Liesel, why on earth would you-" But his question was never completed, for as he spoke he looked up to see the book thief silently step aside. In her place stood a smiling young man with tears in his eyes- those vivid blue eyes that Alex would recognize anywhere. He moved woodenly around the counter and stood in front of his son. There was a pause that seemed to last for forever as the two men stood there, taking it in.

Then there were words.

"Papa." The young man's voice cracked.

"_Mein sohn_…" The older man's eyes crinkled; his voice shook as he and Rudy fell into each others' arms, tears running unashamedly down both of their faces. "_Mein sohn, mein sohn_," he repeated over and over, trying to make himself believe that this was really happening, that he was actually hugging his son- his living son. _Rudy's alive. I still have living family. My boy didn't die. Thank You, Father…_

As Liesel stood in the background watching them, an emotion welled up within her, one that she'd never felt before.

Jealousy.

It crept up from somewhere deep inside her and reared its ugly head, sending a physical pain to her chest and causing tears to spring to her eyes.

*****Something to consider*****

**Perhaps if Max and Enna had been standing with her, she could've fended the monstrous feeling off- but they had gone on to their apartment to see about furnishings. Liesel was inexplicably invisible and fatherless, and she knew it.**

She instantly hated the feeling- especially when it was coupled with loneliness- but there was really nothing she could do, except the only thing she ever did in such circumstances.

She ran.

Father and son didn't notice when she slipped out of the store and nearly tripped running down the steps. They didn't see her flying down the street (for indeed it seemed as if her feet didn't touch the ground); they didn't hear her gasping for breath as she ran.

In fact, it wasn't until Alex Steiner opened his eyes, scanned the room, and asked, "Where's Liesel?" that they realized that something had gone terribly wrong. Rudy panicked, which was understandable; he'd only had her back for an hour or so, and now she had vanished again. He ran for the door and looked out in both directions, and _just_ missed a flash of gold heading in the direction of what had once been Himmel.

That left only one option: Max. He'd known the Liesel of the past few years better than Rudy had; surely he had an inkling of an idea as to where she had gone. With a shout of, "I'll be right back!" to his father, Rudy took off running down Munich Street, to where Max's small car sat outside a row of apartments. Max's apartment door was open, and Rudy barged in without any preamble, asking frantically, "Where's Liesel?"

* * *

**Reviews would be absolutely wonderful. :D _Danke_ for reading! ^-^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all SO much for the favorites, follows, and your lovely reviews! They put a huge smile on my face. :) I hope you'll enjoy this next installment! (Sorry for the length, but... yeah. xD Thank you for taking the time to read this!)**

**Disclaimer: This might shock you, but I still don't own The Book Thief.**

* * *

_I'm alone._ Step. _Rudy's got his father now._ Step. _Max has Enna. _Step. _I have nobody._ Step. _No family, no Papa or Mama._ Step. _Papa!_ Step. _Papa, why'd you leave me?_

Though she was flying down the street, her heart grew heavier with each step she ran. Her tortured thoughts hammered her with every pace, and hot tears blinded her vision- so much so that she didn't realize she was going to Himmel until she was standing before the ruins. (No one had bothered to rebuild or at least clean it up yet, even after three years. Very incompetent, no?)

She stood there shivering, arms folded in an attempt to retain a bit of warmth, eyes scanning the wreckage that had once been her home. Normally, on the rare occasions she came to Himmel, it was due to a longing for the place itself, for the life she'd lived when she inhabited it.

But this time was different; this time, she longed for the people who had lived here. More specifically, one accordion-playing, cigarette-rolling, Jew-hiding person.

Hans Hubermann. Her beloved Papa.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, and she really didn't care in the slightest. _I know I should be happy for them,_ she thought, _and I am, but this jealousy is overwhelming. I hate it. I hate feeling so alone, I hate not having a family…_

And so her thoughts went on. Then suddenly she was tired, so tired, and she kneeled down in the ruins of her home…

* * *

The two young men walked in silence. Not an uncomfortable silence, as there would usually be between two people who had just met, but a grim one. For these two felt like they had known each other for years, and now they were united in their concern for Liesel.

The younger, lemon-haired man glanced sideways at the other as they trudged down Munich street. "Do you really think she went back?"

"It's the only logical place she'd go," the Jewish man replied. "Think about it- she wouldn't go back to the Hermanns, because then she would have to face people. This is the most reasonable place."

"I guess." There was a pause while he thought. "Wait, so we're going to Himmel."

Max kept his gaze on the road in front of them. "Yes."

"My home that got bombed, which I haven't seen since?"

"Oh." Max stopped and turned to him, dark eyes full of understanding. "Rudy, I'm sorry, I didn't think. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Rudy set his jaw in determination. "Yes. I have to, for Liesel."

Max didn't move. "It was rough for me the first time I saw it, Rudy, and I wasn't even there when it happened. You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do." The lemon-haired young man refused to back down. "I have to be there for Liesel."

"If you're sure…" They resumed their journey, and before long they arrived at the ruins of Himmel Street.

*****What they were expecting*******  
A girl sitting before the ruins of her home, either sobbing or furious or a combination of the two.**

*****What they found*******  
The book thief, in a fitful sleep atop a mountain range of rubble.  
And somehow that was even more pathetic.**

Rudy jogged over to the rubble, forcing the shock of seeing Himmel's ruins for the first time out of his mind for the present. Liesel was more important, he figured.

"Hey, wake up." He shook her shoulder gently, but when she didn't wake he let out a long-suffering sigh and hefted her up bridal-style in his arms.

Max looked highly amused as he stood watching the two. "I didn't know you were so strong."

"Neither did I." Rudy smirked.

As they headed back down the street the Jewish man observed quietly, "You aren't reacting to the ruins."

"I'm forcing myself to focus on something else," was the younger man's grim response. "I'll probably react later, but right now I'm too worried about Liesel."

"She'll be fine," Max reassured him with a small smile. "Seeing you reunited with your father has rekindled her longing for her Papa. She's jealous and she feels threatened, and when she feels threatened she runs."

"Good grief, she wasn't kidding when she said you were observant." There was a pause. "Threatened?"

"Think about it, Rudy. I have Enna. You have your Papa. Who does that leave Liesel with? Sure, she's living with the Hermanns, but they aren't family, and she knows she won't stay there forever. The way she sees it, she's alone all over again."

"What?" His frown deepened. "But she won't be alone. Why would she think I would leave her?"

"Because everyone else in her life has. Even I had to for a time. And if you're ever going to convince her that you won't..."

"Of course I will."

*****One thing about Rudy Steiner*****

**He was a man of his word.**

Max smiled a bit again. "I believe you. She really does love you, you know. This reunion has already made her so much happier; it's amazing to watch. Even though she's hurting at the moment, time will show her that she isn't alone."

Rudy was going to respond when he caught a soft murmur of "Papa" from the girl in his arms. When he and Max looked down at her, she shifted and frowned in her sleep. "_Papa_." The word grew more urgent as she repeated it; then her words came in a rush. "Papa, you've got to wake up- please, the bombs are coming, you've got to get out of here, wake _up_, Papa…"

Before Rudy could wake her up her voice grew more frantic. "_Rudy_- we've got to go get him- oh gosh, _no_!"

He decided it was time to intervene. He quickly set her down on the pavement (so as not to earn her wrath for carrying her) and knelt beside her. "Liesel, wake up! Book thief!" He shook her urgently.

Her eyes flew open and she sat up so swiftly that her head hit Rudy square in the nose. He reared back with a cry of "_Ow_!" and she winced. "Sorry! Wait- what's going on?" She blinked up dazedly at the Jewish fist-fighter and the lemon-haired young man above her. "How did you…?"

"You fell asleep," Max spoke up. "We came after you; we were concerned."

"Oh." Her expression shifted into one of forced nonchalance as she stood and smoothed the skirt of her dress. "Well, thank you, but I'm fine."

Rudy grunted as he got up, rubbing his aching nose. "Don't give us that, _Saumensch_. If you were fine you wouldn't have taken off like that."

She averted her gaze. "I didn't want to intrude."

"And exactly how would you be intruding?" _Might as well have this conversation now,_ Rudy figured.

Her dark eyes focused on his again. "You've got family now," she said in a near-whisper.

His expression softened. "Liesel, you _are_ our family."

"We're all family," Max added. "The three of us, Alex, Enna- even Ilsa and Heinz Hermann. You're not alone, Liesel."

She bit her lip as her eyes shone with tears, because for the moment that was all the reassurance she needed. She had no words; all she could do was first hug Rudy, then Max. And that was all they needed- both knew not to push for any words. The trio resumed their journey and turned onto Munich Street; Liesel frowned up at the setting sun. "I ought to go home soon- _Frau_ Hermann will worry."

"And I've got to go back to the apartment to get my car and bring Enna back to the _Burgermeister's_," Max thought aloud.

"And I need to get back to Papa." Rudy's lips curled up into a grin at the thought.

"Liesel," Max began abruptly as a sudden thought occurred to him. "Do you suppose you'll be able to find the words now?"

She froze and turned in wonderment to the man who'd become like an older brother to her. "I hadn't even considered that, but… yes, it's possible."

Rudy looked blankly between the two. "Um, am I missing something?"

The book thief sighed a bit. "I haven't been able to write a thing since the bombing. It's like… like a part of me died that day. And when that part died, the words went with it. But now…" She glanced at him hopefully. "Maybe they'll return."

"You, not writing? That's crazy." He gave her a look of pure disbelief.

"Crazy or not, it's true. Ask Sister Maria; she's furious with me for not writing papers for class."

"You still go to school? Wait…" He let out a curse of dismay. "That means I'll have to go too." His nose wrinkled in boyish disgust.

"Be thankful for your education," Max told the younger man. "You've already had a better one than I ever did. I taught myself most of what I know."

"But I'm eighteen years old already, and besides that I'm three years behind anyway! There's no way I'll be able to catch up!" He kicked at the gravel. "Max, you had a better learning than I did- at least you weren't fed garbage disguised as patriotism every day of your life."

" 'Garbage disguised as patriotism'," Liesel murmured, trying to impress the phrase upon her mind for later usage. "That's a perfect way of putting it. Anyway- Rudy, remember how you and Papa helped me catch up when I first came? When I was ten years old and hadn't had a bit of schooling?"

At his nod she continued, though she was overcome by a sudden shyness. "Well, I could help you. Like you helped me. If you want to, that is…" she faltered.

The most adorable of grins spread across his face. "I'd like that. Thanks, _Saumensch_."

"Sure." She felt her face flush and resisted the urge to groan at herself. _Liesel Meminger, how old are you? Grow up!_

That was the first time she'd told herself that; most of the time she felt like she'd been forced into adulthood too soon. And she had.

The sun was dipping behind the horizon when they turned onto Grande Strasse and came close to Liesel's stop. Ilsa Hermann stood at the gates of the _Burgermeister's_ house, and she waved when she caught sight of Liesel. "Liesel, I've got some news for…" Her voice trailed off as she saw the shock of lemon hair and the twig beneath it walking beside her unofficially-adoptive daughter. Her hand flew to her mouth and her soft blue eyes widened with shock.

Liesel's dangerously dark eyes danced joyously as she grabbed Rudy's hand and dragged him over to the mayor's wife. Max merely chuckled knowingly and called out, "I'm going to fetch Enna. Goodnight, Liesel, _Frau_ Hermann, Rudy."

The book thief whirled around and rushed back to give him a hug, as was her ritual whenever they parted. "Goodnight, Max."

He hugged her back and kissed her atop the head. "Now go. I'll see you soon."

She drew back with a smile. "Promise?"

"Of course." He let go of her to wave at the other two, who were watching them. "Goodnight. I will see you both soon. Rudy, I should be back at the apartment before too long. Tell Alex not to wait up for me; I may spend some extra time discussing some things with Enna."

The lemon-haired young man grinned at his new friend. "I will. See you later, Max."

"Goodbye, Max," called Ilsa Hermann, waving at the young man who always reminded her so much of her Johann. "And for heaven's sake, eat something! I know you haven't had a bit of food all day."

He laughed good-naturedly as he turned and began his small journey back to his awaiting fiancé. "Yes, _Frau_ Hermann."

Ilsa turned to her daughter and her friend, a twinkle in her faded blue eyes. "Well, I was going to tell you that Heinz has approved the building of that bookstore on Munich Street next to Alex Steiner's store, but that obviously can't compete with Rudy."

"Not even close," Liesel grinned. "But that _is_ wonderful news, though!"

"It's nice to know that a bookstore doesn't outrank me," Rudy muttered, only to receive a sharp elbow in the side from his book thief.

Ilsa Hermann was an observant, wise woman, not one to ask too many questions, but in this instance she had to say something. "Rudy, how…?"

"Basically, I was in a coma, woke up in a different town and was told that I was the only survivor, and then this _saume_- I mean, Liesel- found me today." He didn't particularly enjoy having to tell this story more than once.

Ilsa read between the lines and smiled, blue eyes crinkling. "Well, I'm glad you're alright. You've seen your father, _ja_?"

"Of course. In fact, I'd better get back to him."

"Before you go…" Ilsa's smile grew. "You must promise me that you and your Papa will come over for dinner tomorrow night. I'll invite Max and Enna, too." At his questioning look, she exclaimed, "We must have a celebration of some sort; this is wonderful news!"

Liesel's eyes twinkled; she was enjoying the prospect of having something to celebrate. Rudy was happy as well, and responded with an eager, "_Danke_, _Frau_ Hermann. We'll come."

"_Gut_. Speaking of dinner, Liesel, yours is getting cold. Come inside in a few moments, _ja_?" The woman turned and slipped back through the gate without waiting for an answer, leaving the two young adults alone.

*****About Ilsa Hermann*****

**She knew exactly what she was doing; she had, after all, been quite the successful matchmaker in her youth, before her own marriage. In truth, she wanted Liesel and Rudy together even more than you do, dear reader- which is saying a lot, I know.**

Liesel felt the awkwardness settle over them like a thick blanket, now that it was just the two of them. She shifted her feet for a second before turning her gaze to his face. "So... what now?"

Rudy frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what are you going to do now? You and your father?" She hated asking, but she needed to know the answer.

"I'm not sure I understand. We'll live together, I'll finish up whatever school I need, and we'll work together in his shop. That's all I've got planned for now." He thought but didn't add, _Except for the fact that one day I'm gonna marry you. But I think I'll let you in on that part later…_

"You're not- leaving?"

He was bewildered now. "Leaving? Liesel, why would we leave?"

She averted her gaze. "I don't know. Forget I asked."

"No, Liesel, don't give me that. You know what you were thinking, now tell me."

She stared back at her feet, cheeks turning a deep red. "I just thought… maybe you two would want to get away from the memories and…"

"Leave you here? Not a chance. If I ever leave, you're coming with me. Like I said earlier, you're our family. You're _my_ family."

Something in the way he said "my family" made Liesel look back up at him. In the setting sun's glow she could barely make out his piercing blue eyes, vivid lemon hair, and gentle- _Rudy Steiner and gentle, in the same sentence?_-smile. A warm glow filled her heart as the words _my family_ rooted themselves in her mind, and she hurriedly blinked back happy tears before he could notice them.

In that moment I swear time stopped. I paused in my work to watch them, for I knew exactly what was coming; it _had_ to come…

"How about a kiss, _Saumensch_?"

There it was.

They stood there for a long moment, the book thief and the death cheater, before she said simply, "Okay."

Rudy was rather caught off guard, but his surprise at her acquiesce was soon forgotten when Liesel got on her tiptoes, grabbed his shirt collar and pressed her lips against his.

Many cliché things have been said about first kisses, but this one was truly a memorable one. It surpassed even the infamous kiss of Westley and Buttercup (but that's another story) in the rank of excellent kisses. It was the book thief's first received kiss, the death cheater's first given kiss. It was as light as a butterfly's touch, as sweetly innocent as it could be, yet filled with a passion that only true love can infuse in a kiss. It was everything they had wanted for so long, but up until today hadn't dared to hope for.

Liesel thought that this kiss was infinitely better than the first. This time her _Saukerl_ didn't taste like dust and regret, but rather (appropriately) lemons and victory. And, y'know, he could actually kiss her back. That was a plus.

As for Rudy, well, he was enjoying his long-awaited (think for about 8 years) victory tremendously. There would be many kisses between them in the future, of course, but this one would be forever immortalized in his memory. He noted two things: 1.) Liesel tasted like peppermints and thievery, a delightful combination, and 2.) It was definitely worth the wait.

They drew apart, her hands on his chest and his arms around her waist. She blinked up at him and all she could manage was a quiet, "_Wow_."

He smirked and, in typical Rudy Steiner fashion, said smugly, "See? I told you one day you'd be dying to kiss me."

She threw him a 'you-did-not-just-say-that' look. "That isn't even funny now, after… you know. _Saukerl_."

"Oh." He'd almost forgotten about that. "Did you really kiss me then, when you thought I was dead? And say…"

"That I love you? Yes, yes I did."

"So… do you?"

She blinked, looking the picture of innocence. "Do I what?"

"You know."

She did know. "Obviously, or I wouldn't have said it."

He wanted to be absolutely sure that he wasn't misinterpreting this. "So what you're saying is you love me?"

"Oh, for crying out loud! I know you're thickheaded by nature, but at least _try_ to understand…" She shook her head in exasperation. "I. Love. You. Rudy. Steiner. There, are you happy now?"

A broad smile lit up his face. "_Ja_. Very. Love you too, Liesel Meminger."

*****A quick note*****

**Rudy Steiner would never be eloquent with words. He would never wax poetic about his deep, abiding love for Liesel. She wouldn't ever get a sentimental poem or song from him.**

*****However*****

**That doesn't mean that Rudy Steiner wasn't capable of being romantic, for in actuality there was a lot of love in that big heart of his. He just wasn't one to beat around the bush, preferring instead to show love by lots of teasing, a little bit of kissing, and sometimes saying bluntly, "I love you." He didn't ****_have_**** to be eloquent, for his love could be seen clearly in his eyes and his actions. And really, that was all Liesel needed.**

"I figured." She was smiling too, unable to contain her happiness. It was at this moment that Ilsa Hermann stuck her head out of the library window and called, "Liesel, come inside and eat!"

The book thief laughed a bit as she stepped back from her _saukerl_ and called back, "I'm coming, _Frau_ Hermann!"

There was a pause. "I should probably let you eat," Rudy finally said.

"And I should probably let you get back to your father."

He could've smacked himself. "That's right, I forgot about him. I'm such a _dummkopf_!"

She smiled tenderly. "Maybe, but you're my _dummkopf_."

He rolled his eyes at that burst of sentiment. "And on that mushy note, I'm out of here."

"I was not being mushy!" She smacked him in the arm for the umpteenth time that day as he turned to leave, but they were both grinning.

"Whatever you say, Meminger." He watched as she slipped inside the gate, gave him one last smile, and began to walk up the steps of the _Burgermeister's_ house. "Goodnight, book thief," he called.

She turned back and waved, dark eyes alight. "Goodnight, Jesse Owens. See you in the morning?"

"Of course." He waved back before turning and sprinting, as he had as a young boy, on to Munich Street, anxious to get to his Papa.

He hadn't mentioned this to Liesel, but in the past three years he hadn't just turned to books for comfort. No, books were and always would be her forte- just as his was running. Pushing himself, straining to just take one step more, feeling the wind in his hair and the energy coursing through his thin body- this was his escape. When he was wandering all alone, this was when he had been able to focus on something besides the heartbreak and the memories; this was when he had felt, even if for a fleeting moment, he had a purpose. Even now, he suspected, running would still have to be his escape sometimes- especially as images of the broken Himmel Street flashed through his mind.

He had known the facts. They'd been bombed; none of his family present had survived. No one had except for him- and Liesel, apparently. Yes, he'd known that it was gruesome, but actually seeing the wreckage was another thing entirely. The house that he'd lived in for fifteen years, the only home he'd known… demolished. Now that he'd actually seen the place where nearly everyone he loved died, the weight of his losses hit him again and nausea swept over him. He fought it valiantly, running even faster. _C'mon, Steiner… C'mon, Jesse Owens, you can do this. Just make it to Papa and you'll be fine…_

But the sickness caught up with him and he was brought to his knees by the side of the road; his head pounded, and the only thing keeping his stomach from emptying itself was the fact that there was nothing in it to come out. For several long, agonizing minutes he knelt there in the rough gravel, unable to get up, unable to fend off the storm in his mind. _Mama, Kurt, Annemarie, Bettina… _His family's faces flashed relentlessly through his mind. He shut his eyes tightly and prayed desperately to a God he'd never really acknowledged before. _Will it ever get better? I know I haven't been one to really have a lot to do with You- Himmel knows I haven't lived like it- but this is just too much. I can't live like this forever. Please, if You're there… _

By and by the nausea slowly left him, and the tortured thoughts and memories of his family receded to the back of his mind, where they had been staying more often as of late (until seeing Himmel Street again had thrust them forward so painfully). He stood shakily and forced himself to think of Liesel- of her hopeful smile and that victorious kiss. He then thought of his father, of the hug they'd shared. It worked, calming him down enough for him to break into a light jog. _Thanks, God,_ he thought with a tiny smile. Maybe He _was_ really there after all.

As he drew closer to the tailor's shop, he could just make out the silhouette of his father on the front steps. The older man waved, and Rudy increased his pace, anticipation of spending time with his father propelling him forward. They met with a quick hug before heading inside, where Alex had built a small fire in the hearth. Rudy surveyed the little but homey apartment with a nod. "Nice, Papa. I like it."

His father shrugged as he warmed his hands by the fire. "Not very decorative, but it's good enough for a couple of bachelors, no matter what Liesel says to try and convince us otherwise." He gave his son a concerned glance. "How _is_ Liesel?"

Rudy sank wearily into a small wooden chair and sighed. It had been a long, eventful day. "Better now, I think. Seeing us made her miss her Papa."

Alex nodded matter-of-factly. "I figured as much. She hasn't had to do that in awhile, but… Rudy, you would've hated seeing her the way that she was for the first year or so afterwards. I missed most of it, from what Ilsa Hermann told me, but coming back and seeing the complete absence of life in her eyes- it was horrible. She was distraught and cried constantly for the first month or so after the bombing, but after that it was as if she just shut down and refused to show any emotion to anyone. She just picked herself up and went through the motions of life. Then when she was alone all the suppressed feelings would just… explode." Seeing his son's stricken face, he quickly amended, "It's gotten better as time has passed- Max's return helped a lot with that- but every once in awhile…" He sighed and finished with, "Well, I don't think life'll ever be completely sunny for her again- there will always be some storms after living through _that_, as I'm sure you know well- but your return, my boy... it's brought her pretty close. At any rate, now she's got someone to stand in the rain with her. And so do you."

The young man nodded and cracked a grin. "Thank goodness for that. Maybe life will turn out alright for all of us, after all." Remembering Liesel's hesitation to tell him about how his father fared, he changed the subject, his blue eyes narrowing. "What about you, Papa? How have you been?"

Alex stiffened and averted his gaze, something Rudy immediately noticed. "_Papa_…"

The older man let out a simultaneous sigh and chuckle. "It's good to know your persistence hasn't changed." Unrelenting, Rudy raised an eyebrow, and Alex sighed again. "Fine, I'll admit it: I haven't done so well. I may have attempted to commit suicide once or twice-"

"Papa!"

"Don't look at me like that, Rudy- obviously I didn't actually do it! Son, I had nothing to live for, and I thought I'd killed you by not sending you to that school!"

"Hang the school!" the young man cried vehemently. "It was stupid! Honestly, I didn't even want to go. All that '_Heil Hitler_' crap. Even if I did go, chances are I would have gone to war and died anyway. Yeah, you didn't send me, which put me here in the bombing, but I turned out alive, didn't I?" Alex opened his mouth to respond but Rudy kept talking. "So you've been depressed all this time, then? Is that what Liesel didn't want to tell me?"

The man scoffed. "Of course I've been depressed! I thought for three years that I'd lost my entire family- that I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye. You were in the same position, Son. I know you feel things deeply."

"Yeah, but I didn't try to kill myself, Papa," Rudy pointed out. "I'm not sure why, exactly. I considered it in passing a few times. Something must've been holding me back."

*****That Something*****

**I knew that Rudy Steiner had the very best thing to live for: true love. So I absolutely refused to let him have the resolve to do it, with a little help from Life. Cheating? Perhaps. But we'd worked hard enough to keep that boy alive, and we weren't about to let him just throw that away.**

Alex cracked a smile. "I'm glad."

"What stopped you?" Rudy Steiner was nothing if not curious.

"Liesel, actually. Surprising, since she wasn't particularly enjoying life herself. Well, she often goes to the Amper River, and she happened to catch me- was quite indignant, actually." He chuckled. "She absolutely refused to let me do it. Said that she didn't want to lose anyone else- that I was the closest thing to a father she had. How could I argue with that? I'm doing a lot better now, believe me. Liesel is like a daughter to me now, and being there for her has given me a purpose." He grinned- actually grinned, for the first time in a long time. "And now I've got an even greater purpose- trying to keep up with Jesse Owens again."

Rudy grinned back, blue eyes twinkling. "That's my _Saume_- I mean, Liesel. Heh. So I guess we're one big happy family?"

"One big happy makeshift family, yes." Alex's eyes widened as a thought struck him. "Wait a minute: How long has it been since you've eaten?"

Before Rudy could even formulate a response, his father was in the kitchen, rummaging around in search of some suitable food. Though Alex and Max never had a lot of food in their pantry at one time, some bread and cheese was found- Rudy insisted that that was more than enough for him- and father and son sat down to their first meal together in years.

The rest of the night was filled with many stories of happy times they'd shared with the rest of their family, much laughter, and the warmth of the fire and the company. Max's arrival made things even more lively- he and Rudy had much to talk about, after all- and all three men went to bed feeling quite satisfied with the turn of events the day had wrought.

Rudy sat for a long while on the couch (he'd refused to take the beds that both his father and Max had offered, protesting that he'd slept in worse places over the past few years), very exhausted but far too excited to fall asleep. Instead, he mulled over the events of the day and came to a conclusion: he suddenly had a new appreciation for books.

For it was books that had led Liesel to the bookstore that just _happened_ to be in the town he was staying in, at what _happened_ to be the exact same time he was in that store for his own purposes.

Coincidence?

He thought not.

As the night slipped by, Rudy Steiner finally fell into a peaceful sleep, filled with delightful visions of his favorite book thief and that infamous kiss he'd finally gotten from her. He looked almost angelic lying there on the couch, a contented smile on his face and the moonlight giving his lemon hair a halo-like glow.

They say that home is where the heart is, and the death cheater was finally home.

* * *

Dinner at the _Burgermeister's_ house was normally a quiet affair, and this evening- though the aftermath of a most exciting afternoon- was no exception. The only difference was the noticeable flush of Liesel's cheeks and Ilsa Hermann's knowing smirk into her teacup.

Liesel first noticed the itchiness in her fingers in the middle of dinner, sometime during one of Heinz Hermann's political rambles. The unexpected feeling distracted her and made her drop her fork onto her plate with a clatter.

Ilsa noticed this and gently set her teacup down before giving Liesel a concerned look. "Are you quite alright?" _It's not like her to be this… clumsy._

The girl blinked a few times and nodded slowly. "Yes, _Frau_ Hermann." She sent Heinz an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry… you were saying?"

Unruffled, the _Burgermeister_ continued to drone on, little realizing that the girl was paying no attention whatsoever. She was more focused on examining her fingers and thinking, _It's been awhile since I've felt this itch. It's not the itch to steal, but a different one- one that I got only when…_ She was beginning to get excited, but knew she had to be polite, so she refrained from acting. Instead she tried to finish her dinner, having never been one to waste food, but even her appetite abandoned her in her eagerness to be left to her own devices.

Finally, once the dishes were cleared and the kitchen cleaned, Liesel was able to slip away and headed straight for- where else?- the library. She hurried into the room, closed the doors behind her, and all but ran to the little wooden desk in a corner that Ilsa Hermann had purchased for her. Digging through the pile of books and random possessions soon produced a silver pen and a blank leather-bound notebook, both purchased long ago in hopes of rekindling the ability to write. Though her writing hadn't come then, she knew one thing for sure as she sank into her chair and uncapped the pen.

The words were certainly back now.

They flowed from her heart to her fingertips, into the pen and onto the page. She sat there for hours, head bent and dark eyes narrowed in concentration, as she wove a magnificent tale of a tragic and lonely beginning, of a joyous reunion and a long-awaited kiss, of- could it be?- a happily ever after. The events of the past three years- all leading up to this evening- sprang to life before her eyes as they were translated from her mind onto paper.

On and on she wrote, filling the little book with her heart, into the wee hours of the morning when the Hermanns had long since bid her goodnight. The sun was just filling the library with golden beams of light when she penned the last words of her little tale.

*****The Last Page*****

**_This book is dedicated to:_**

**_My beloved Papa, who gave me the words;_**

**_My brother Max, who helped me make them mine;_**

**_And my best friend Rudy, who brought them back._**

**_Ich liebe dich._**

Finally, she lay down her pen with a triumphant air, though she wasn't able to properly revel in her success, as all of the excitement and emotion of the previous afternoon caught up with her. The book thief's last satisfied thought before she was claimed by her first peaceful sleep in years was, _Well, it seems as if the word shaker has returned._

* * *

To conclude this little tale, I shall tell you that this is not, in fact, the end.

No, it is only the beginning.

For you see, this reunion is but a sliver of a chapter in the great story of the lives of Liesel Meminger and Rudy Steiner.

The book thief and the death cheater, each given a second chance.

Yes, the word shaker had her words back, and she would never lose them again- not with her _Saukerl_ by her side.

* * *

**There ya go! Thank you all SO much for reading this; tell me whatcha think!**

**I've got a bunch of other ideas for little oneshots and stuff about Rudy and Liesel's lives after this- would anyone be interested? I might write them one day. :)**

**You all are amazing! Have a blessed weekend!**


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